Air Compressor break-in and air tool assembly
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,125
Likes: 4
From: Alexandria, VA
Air Compressor break-in and air tool assembly I got a new Husky oil-lubed air compressor and it says that I should run it for 30 minutes to break it in with the regulator cranked all the way up. They say it's adviseable to change the oil and oil filter after that. What do you all think? Is that a bit of overkill? Also, do you all use any sort of loctite when screwing in the quick disconnects to your air tools? I want to make sure I do this all right before I start working with it.
If that's what they say on the instructions, I'd do it. 
My Ingersoll-Rand compressor had already been pre-run at the factory - there was a small amount of water in the tank, and there was evidence of oil in the pump (but the pump was empty). So I assumed they already "broke it in". But if that's what they call for, I'd follow their instructions.
And I use teflon paste (Loctite's white pipe thread sealant). Mostly because I love the smell of the stuff.
My Ingersoll-Rand compressor had already been pre-run at the factory - there was a small amount of water in the tank, and there was evidence of oil in the pump (but the pump was empty). So I assumed they already "broke it in". But if that's what they call for, I'd follow their instructions.
And I use teflon paste (Loctite's white pipe thread sealant). Mostly because I love the smell of the stuff.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,125
Likes: 4
From: Alexandria, VA
I will be doing that as soon as I get the air tools. So far I just have the quick disconnects, air chuck, hose, and other accessories. Sears has a pretty damn good price on an ingersoll-rand air gun so I'll prob be pickin that bad boy up soon. On a side note, Husky says I can use air compressor oil or M1 5w-30. If I put an MS4 cam in the compressor and was running it to 7k all day I would have no question about it, however I'm not sure whether it's worth the money for the M1 or not. What do you all think?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,125
Likes: 4
From: Alexandria, VA
I put the M1 in, but I have no idea how to hook everything up. Campbell-Hausfeld provides very shitty and vague instructions. I even went online to see how to hook up the hoses and air filter attachment and it helped very little.
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So... whaddya have and whaddya need to know?
How I would do it:
On the outlet of the compressor, put a butterfly valve (it's either open or closed)
Mount the water separator and regulator on the wall (preferably)
Use a piece of flexible tubing to hook the outlet of the butterfly valve to the inlet of the water separator, and then the water sep feeds in to the regulator
The outlet of the regulator is where you're going to hook up your tools.
The idea behind putting some distance between the compressor and the water separator is that it gives the air some time to cool down. The shorter the run, the less it can cool, but if you can possibly cool the air down some, the water separator will work better.
Here's a thread I made when I plumbed my shop. I'd never done anything like it before, but I am *extremely* happy with the results. I went from a small roll around Campbell-Hausfeld compressor to this setup, and can't be happier.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/tools-fabrication/480039-plumbing-shop-air.html
How I would do it:
On the outlet of the compressor, put a butterfly valve (it's either open or closed)
Mount the water separator and regulator on the wall (preferably)
Use a piece of flexible tubing to hook the outlet of the butterfly valve to the inlet of the water separator, and then the water sep feeds in to the regulator
The outlet of the regulator is where you're going to hook up your tools.
The idea behind putting some distance between the compressor and the water separator is that it gives the air some time to cool down. The shorter the run, the less it can cool, but if you can possibly cool the air down some, the water separator will work better.
Here's a thread I made when I plumbed my shop. I'd never done anything like it before, but I am *extremely* happy with the results. I went from a small roll around Campbell-Hausfeld compressor to this setup, and can't be happier.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/tools-fabrication/480039-plumbing-shop-air.html
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,125
Likes: 4
From: Alexandria, VA
Well, mine's a portable compressor with the regulator and everything already attached. It's this one here... http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS...4+3966&pos=n24 . It's just that things don't seem to be fitting correctly on it. The air filter needs to be threaded in but only gets about halfway and gets extremely hard to thread. It doesn't feel like it should be that way. Same thing with the air hose I got. It threads a bit onto the threads from the regulator outlet and then gets very hard, when it def has more threads to go. I just want to make sure I'm not screwing anything up.
Did you wrap threads with teflon tape? That'll affect how the threads 'feel'.
I'd try putting it together as tight as you feel comfortable with... and fire that thing up! All it can do is leak on you.
Smoke check!
(as long as you have oil in the pump, you can turn it on with no worries about hurting anything)
I'd try putting it together as tight as you feel comfortable with... and fire that thing up! All it can do is leak on you.
Smoke check!
(as long as you have oil in the pump, you can turn it on with no worries about hurting anything)
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,125
Likes: 4
From: Alexandria, VA
I got some loctite sealant with teflon in it which I'm putting on the threads. Nothing was on the threads when I was test fitting though, so if anything it should have been easier to thread on.
